Coin mechanism for coin-controlling vending machines



COIN MECHANISM FOR COIN CONTROLLING VENDING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 192'? 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR W 771. W v

ATTORNEY May 13: 1930. A. M. CRAMER 1,758,652

COIN MECHANISM FOR COIN CONTROLLING VENDING MACHINES Filed 001:. 17, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

BY ATTORNEY.

May 13, 1930. A. M. CRAMER 1,758,652

COIN MECHANISM FOR COIN CONTROLLING VENDING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 mlllin Im Z2 X- i??? IJWWWMMEWM 47 J/ "HUM flfim m I g I V fig l I 50 /0 l j Jil 7 66 M 9 60 INVENTOR: 6mm- BY yduwf ATTORNEY.

May 13, 1930. M CRAMER 1,758,652

CQIN MECHANISM FOR COIN CONTROLLING VENDING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIIH II III lmiiiggn /,0 k M illllllli r QZZZ %24,&M

ATTORNEY.

May 13, 1930. A. M. CRAMER 1,758,652

COIN MECHANISM FOR COIN CONTROLLING VENDING MACHINES 7 Filed Oct. 17, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I/VV'A/TOR I Patentecl May 13, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT M. CRAMER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HORN AND HARDART BAKING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY COIN MECHANISM FOR COIN-CONTROLLING- VENDING MACHINES Application filed October 17, 1827. Serial No. 226,674.

This invention relates to a coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines of the type disclosed in the Fritsche Patent No. 1,039,508, patented September 24th, 1912, wherein the coin inserted by the intending purchaser, if it is of the proper denomination, passes through a coin chute and into acoin retainer wherein it is acted upon by a manually controlled cam in order to release the locking mechanism for the door controlling access to a compartment within which is containedthe article which is to be vended.

The object of this invention is to devise certain improvements in coin mechanism of this type which have been found to be advantageous in the commercial use of a vending machine of this character.

With the above and other objects in view as will hereinafter appear, my invention comprehends a novel construction and arrangement of a coin mechanism for coin controlling vending machines.

It further comprehends a novel construction of a coin chute, a novel construction and arrangement of a guard to prevent the coins from improperly escaping from the coin retainer, novel means for preventing the coin mechanism being reset by the attendant unless the vending container has been moved into its inoperative or non-vending position, novel means for limlting the movement of the coin retainer when released, novel means for preventing a 00111 passing through the com chute when the vending conta1ner 1s in its inoperative or non-vending position, and a novel construction and arrangement of a cam lever adapted to prevent or permit a coin to pass through the coin chute into the coin retainer which latter controls the locking and unlocking of the door which controls access to the compartment in the vending container which contains the article to be vended.

It further comprehends a novel coin chute having a movable side, provided with a stop portion to prevent the passage through the coin chute of a coin of improper dimension, said chute having a steeper pitch at its discharge portion in order to increase the speed of the coin passing through the coin chute, and the movable side of the coin chute is mounted in a novel manner so that When released it will return to its closed position due to gravity and its own weight.

It further comprehends a novel construetion of a coin chute having a slot in one side, the upper wall of said slot being bevelled so as to facilitate the passing through said side slot of a coin of improper dimension.

F or the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a typical embodiment of it, which, in practice, will give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to be understood that this embodiment is typical only and that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not, therefore, limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities, as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of a coin controlled vending machine, in conjunction with which a coin mechanism embodying my invention is employed.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the coin mechanism.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the coin mechanism.

- Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the coin mechanism.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the coin mechanism viewed from the opposite side to that seen in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is asection on line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a guard plate.

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the guard plate.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the coin chute in detached position.

Figure 11 is a side elevation of a guard for the coin chute in detached position.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the movable side of the coin chute in detached position.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings This invention is directed more particularly to the coin mechanism of coin controlled vending machines of the type shown in the Fritsche Patent No. 1,039,508, wherein the articles to be vended are contained within super-imposed compartments of an article container, and a coin mechanism is provided for each article receiving compartment and controls the unlocking of a door which provides access to an article receiving compartment in the container.

The frame of the machine is ordinarily built into or forms a part of the side wall or partition of a room accessible to the purchasing public, and in rear of such wall or partition is provided a place for the attendants in order that the article receiving campartments may be replenished when the articles which they contain have been vended.

The framework 1 of the machine may be of any desired or conventional construction, and, as shown in Figure 1, it consists of a plurality of inter-connected frame members, and the front wall of such framework is preferably covered by ornamental plates 2 secured thereto in any desired manner.

The framework is provided with openings 3 corresponding in number to the number of article receiving compartments of the vending machine, and each opening is provided with its respective door 1 which in practice consists of a framework carrying a glass plate so that the article to be vended can be readily seen through the door. The doors are secured in their closed position by means of catches 5 which enter recesses 6 in the bottom frame member of a door.

Rotatably mounted in rear of the door openings, are the article containers 7, each of which is provided with a desired number of super-imposed article receiving compartments and a portion of the periphery of the article container is cut away to form openings 8 through which the article can be removed when the door is unlocked in the manner hereinafter explained.

Each door is controlled by means of a coin mechanism 9, the construction of which will now be explained.

The coin mechanism consists of the framework 10 preferably in the form of a casting to which the fixed section or body portion of a coin chute 11 is fixedly secured in any desired manner.

This coin chute has its inlet end communicating with a coin slot 12 in the front wall of the framework 1, and it is provided with a channel 13, and, at the inlet portion, this channel is covered by a guard plate 1% secured to the body portion of the coin chute 11 in any desired manner and provided with a slot 15, see more particularly Figure 11. The upper wall of this slot has its outer edge inwardly bevelled or inclined as shown at 16 and terminates at a shoulder 17.

After the coin passes the guard 14: its upper edge is received in a slot 18, see Figure 10, and also Figure 3. It will be seen that the channel 13 provides a lower ledge on which the coin rolls in passing through the slot and in order to increase the speed of the coin this ledge is progressively cut away as seen at 19 in Figure 10, and is also preferably laterally inclined.

20 designates the movable side or section of the coin chute which is provded with the ears 21 through which a pin 22 passes, and this movable side is provided at its forward end with a laterally ext-ending stop 23 in the form as illustrated, of an inwardly projecting flange.

The movable side 20 of the coin chute is preferably carried by the lugs 24 and is so weighted that it normally tends to move into and be retained in its open position due to gravity and its own weight. When the movable side 20 is in its closed position the bot tom of the slot has in cross section the general contour of a V or U so that if a cent or a dime is inserted it will, due to its thickness, be sufficiently lowered in the slot of the coin chute to become disengaged from the overhanging flange 25 formed by the channel 18 so that it will not pass through the coin chute but will be arrested by the flange 23.

It will be understood that the flange 23 is of such width that if a coin of the proper denomination is inserted into the coin chute it will pass by the flange 23 and into a coin retainer 26. This coin retainer 26 is carried by a lever 27 which is fulcrumed on a post 28, and a tension device, in the form of a spring 29, tends to move the coin retainer into its non-vending position.

The forward end of the lever 27 has connected with it a link 30, see Figure 1, which is also operatively connected with the catches J 5 in order to move them downwardly to release them and thereby permit the opening movement of a door 4 as will be hereinafter fully explained.

The coin retainer 26 has one side formed by the lever 27, and its opposite side is formed by a guard plate 31, the construction of which is best seen in Figures 8 and 9. This guard plate at its forward end abuts against the lateral extending flange 32, see Figure 5, so that a slot is formed which is closed at its outer end, while its inner end is open so that when the slot 33, see Figure 7, is in alignment with the slot in the coin chute, as is the case when the parts are in the position seen in Figure 5, the coin, if it is of the proper denomination, will pass directly through the coin chute and be received in the coin retainer.

The coin retainer is provided with the upper and lower screws 34 and 35 which serve as stops for the coin and the coin rests upon a detent release rod 36, see Figures 5 and 7, which is adjust-ably carried by a detent lever 37 which is fulcrumed at 38 to the framework 10. The pin 36 is adapted to be received in the aperture 39 in the coin retainer, see Figres 1 and 4. This detent lever is normally retained in its raised position by means of a spring 40, see Figure 7.

The guard plate 31 of the coin retainer is also apertured to receive the stop members 34 and 35, and the pin 36, as will be understood by reference to Figure 8, and the plate 31 at its lower end is provided with a downwardly deflected catch 41 which is adapted to engage the lug or rib 42 carried-by an offset portion of the detent lever 37.

The guard plate 31, is secured in any de sired manner to the coin retainer lever 26, as for example by screws, and, at its upper end, it is provided with the laterally and downwardly deflected guards 43 and 44, which form hooks or stop members to prevent a coin passing into the coin retainer from escaping therefrom. The guard 31 is also provided at its upper end with a laterally extending curved stop 45, the function of which is to prevent a coin of the proper denomination passing out of the coin chute channel 13 when the coin retainer is in its unset or inoperative position, as will be understood by reference to Figure 7.

The free end of the detent lever 37 extends over a coin discharge chute 46. which'communicates with a money box, not shown, and, when the coin retainer is released, its movement, due to the action of its spring 29,is limited by the lower end of the coin retainer contacting with the outer side wall of the discharge chute 46, as will be understood by reference to Figure 4.

The detent lever 37 has pivotally mounted on it a signal 47, which is in the form of a lever fulcrumed at 48, and this lever is provided with a pin 49 which extends into a slot 50 in a link 51, one end of which is secured at 52 to the coin retainer 26.

The body portion of the coin chute 11 has journalled in it an operating shaft 53 which extends through the front wall of the frame 1 of the vending machine and is provided with an actuating handle 54. A spring 53 encircles the rock shaft 53 and has one end connected to it, while its-opposite end bears against a fixed portion of the coin mechanism, such as for example, the coin chute 11, so that the tendency of this spring is to maintain a cam 55 secured to the end of the rocl; shaft 53 in the position seen in Figure 5.

The free end of this cam is provided with a curved cam face 56 which is adapted to cooperate with the periphery of a coin which has been arrested in the coin retainer 26. The rock shaft 53 has fixed to it a pin 57, see more particularly Figure 3, and this pin extends through an opening 58 in a collar 59 which is loosely nounted on the rock shaft 53. This collar 59 is provided with an arm 60 which passes beneath the pin 22 carried by the cars 21 of the movable side 20 of the coin chute.

t will thus be seen that the spring 53 tends to rock the arm 60 upwardly and thereby maintain the movable side 26 the coin chute in its closed position, as will be best understood by reference to Figure 3. The fixed side of the coin chute 11 is provided with a boss 61 through which passes a stop pin 62 which is adapted ,to pass into the coin chute 10 through an opening 63 to prevent, at a predetermined time, any coin passing through the coin chute such as is desirable, for example when the article container 7 is in its non-vending position. This stop 62 is pro vided with a spring 64 which bears against a flange 65 on the pin 62 and tends to maintain the outer end of the pin 61 in contact with a cam lever 66 which is fulcrumed on the post'28.

The cam lever 66 is rotatably mounted between the coin retainer lever 27 and a set collar 67 on the shaf 28, and it is provided ith a stop lug 63, see Figure 4, which is adapted contact with a shoulder 69 on the coin retainer lever 27, see Figure 4-, to limit the lateral movement in one direction of said cam lever. This movement is caused by a spring 70, one end of which is fixed to the cam lever 66 and the opposite end bears against portion of the frame. As shown, t 70 is a flat metal spring.

The article container 7 is provided with a cam 71, see Figure l, which is adapted to contact with a cam member 72 on the cam lever 66, so that when the article container 7 is in its vending position, the cam lever 66 will be retained in the position seen in Figure 1, and the spring 64 will retain the stop pin 62 in its-inoperative position. The cam lever 66 is recessed as at 73 to receive an anti-friction roller 74 which is carried by plates 75 which are clamped to the cam lever 66 by means of fastening devices 76, such as for example the bolts and nuts, shown in Figure 1.

In order to take up for wear and provide for relative adjustment of the anti-friction roller 74 and the article container 7, I provide the adjusting screws 77 which are provided with lock nuts 78, see more particularly Figure 1.

The framework 10 is provided with a chamber 79 having an opening 80, see Figure 1, which leads to a receptacle accessible to the purchaser so that any coin which has been retained in the coin chute and which does not pass into the coin retainer to-work the machine, will be returned to a position accessible to the intending purchaser when the movable side 20 of the coin chute is opened as will hereinafter be explained.

The operation of my novel coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines will now be apparent to those skilled in this art and is as follows.

Assuming that the parts are in the position seen in Figures 1, 2 and 5, or in other words when the coin retainer is in its vending position and the article container 7 is in its vending position, and the door 4 is closed and locked, the machine is ready for the intending purchaserto insert a coin in the slot 12 which leads to the coin chute 11.

If the coin is of the proper denomination, it will pass directly through the coin chute 11 and will be received in the coin retainer resting'on the stops formed by the pin 36 and the pin 35. The intending purchaser now partially rotates the handle 54 in a clockwise direction, thereby causing the cam face 56 of the cam to ride on the periphery of the coin thereby exerting a downward pressure on the detent release rod 36. This causes the detent lever 37, see Figure 7, to move downwardly and release its catch 42 from the hook 41 carried by the coin retainer, so that, due to the action of the spring 29, the coin retainer will be moved into the position seen in Figure 7 its movement being arrested by the outer wall of the coin delivery chute 46, as shown in Figure 7.

As the coin retainer 26 passes beyond the detent lever 37, the coin can be discharged through the bottom of the slot formed in the coin retainer into the coin discharge chute 46 which leads to the coin box or other receptacle not shown, in which the coins are collected which have actuated the machine.

This movement of the coin retainer 26 rocks its lever 27 on the post 28, thereby exerting a pull on the link 30 and causing the unlocking movement of the catches 5. This causes the catches 5 to move downwardly so that the door 4: is released, and, as this door is mounted and constructed in such a manner that it will swing outwardly due to its own weight, its bottom portion moves out of the path of the catches 5 so that the door is now free to be opened sufliciently by the intending purchaser for him to remove from the article containing compartment the article which he has purchased.

When the attendant in rear of the machine desires to replenish the articles in the article compartments from which they have been vended, he rotates the article container 7 to bring the combined filling and replenishing opening 8 to the rear of the machine so that 1 ing portion of said cam lever to swing inwardly, and owing to the provision of the lug 68, see Figure 4, the coin retainer 26 will be swung inwardly into its set position into which itwill be retained by the catches 41 and a2, see more particularly Figure 5.

Before the article container 7 moves into its vending position, the cam 71 will contact with a cam member 72 on the cam lever 66 so that it will be swung inwardly to permit the spring 64: to move the stop 62 out of the coin chute so that a coin of proper denomination is free to pass through the coin chute 11 and into the coin retainer 26. The movement of the coin retainer into its set position actuates the link 30 to lock the catches 5.

Assuming the coin chute and coin retainer have been constructed to receive a five cent piece, and a one cent piece or a ten cent piece is inserted, it will be apparent that due to it being of less thickness than a five cent piece, it will drop down in the slot of the coin chute sui'ficiently to cause it to either clear the overhanging flange 25, or in any case sufficiently to engage the inner side wall of the movable coin chute section 20 and contact with the stop flange 23.

It will thus be seen that instead of passing through the coin chute into the coin retainer, it will be retained in the coin chute by its contact with the flanges 23 so that when the operator actuates the handle 54 to rock the shaft 53, the arm 60, see Figure 3, will be permitted to move downwardly so that the movable coin chute section 20 will swing outwardly due to gravity and its own weight, and the coin which has been retained within the coin chute will be discharged through the opening into a position accessible to the intending purchaser, and this operation is well known to those skilled in this art.

It was found in the commercial use of a coin mechanism of this type that if a coin was inserted with considerable speed into the coin chute, it would bounce out of the coin retainer, and to overcome this the guard plate of the coin retainer is provided with the stops l3 and 44 which are in different horizontal planes so that while the coin can travel at a considerable speed it will still be retained within the coin retainer in a position to be acted upon by the cam 55 on the gigrning of the manually actuated rock shaft The lever 47 serves as a signal to indicate whether or not the coin mechanism of a vending unit has been operated so that the attendant can see at a glance from the position which this lever has assumed, the condition of the vending unit.

In my present invention, this lever 47, when its free end is moved downwardly, exerts a pressure on the detent lever 37 to release the coin retainer, but it is inoperative to reset the coin retainer since it will strike the boss in which the detent release rod 36 is mounted before it moves a suflicient distance to reset the coin mechanism.

It has been found to be a disadvantage in the commercial use of a coin mechanism of this type to have it possible for the attendant to reset the coin mechanism by the operation of the lever 4L7, since it permits him to reset the coin mechanism when articles are not contained within the compartments of the article container, and in the present invention this is accomplished by the rotation of the article container It wil be noted that the cam does not have a projecting portion which will move the coin retainer laterally but has simply a cam surface so that the downward pressure on the coin acting on the stop 36 effects the release of the coin retainer, and the latter will move into its unset position due solely to the provision of the spring 29.

Attention is directed to the fact that the movable coin chute section is retained in its closed position by the action of the spring 53 and its opening movement, due to gravity and its own weight, and the manner in which it is hinged.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in

the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that this embodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines, a coin chute having a fixed section and a movable section, a manually actuated rock shaft, a pin fixed to said shaft, a collar loosely mounted on said shaft having an opening into which said pin extends and of greater dimensions than the pin, and having an arm bearing against said movable section to retain it in closed position, and a tension device for said rock shaft, said movable section when released by the movement of said rock shaft, due to the pin and opening connection with said collar, being adapted to open due to gravity and its own Weight to re lease coins retained in said coin chute.

2. In a coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines, a coin chute having a movable section, a stop pin adapted to extend into said chute to prevent coins passing there through, a spring to move said stop pin out of said chute, a cam to move said stop pin into said coin chute, means to effect the openmg movement of said movable sectlon, and an article container operative to actuate said cam.

vending machines, a coin chute, a stop member to prevent passage of a coin therethrough, a spring to move said stop'member out of said chute, a coin retainer movable into and member in the opposite direction to cause said stop member to enter said coin chute, manually controlled means to effect the release of said coin retainer, and an article container to actuate said cam member to reset said coin retainer and to actuate said cam to move the stop member out of said coin chute.

4. In coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines, a coin chute, a spring pressed plunger to stop a coin passing through said chute, a cam member to actuate said plunger, an adjustable anti-friction member on said cam member, a coin retainer, door locking mechanism controlled by said coin retainer, means to move said coin retainer out of register with said coin chute, and an article container cooperating with said anti-friction device to move said coin retainer into register with said coin chute.

5. In coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines, a coin retainer having a slot opening through one end, and its top and bottom, and having means overhanging said top opening to prevent a coin escaping therethrough, a detent normally closing said bottom opening, a spring to move said coin retainer in one direction when released by said detent, means to release said detent, looking mechanism controlled by said coin retainer, and means to guide the coins to said coin retainer.

6. A coin retainer comprising a lever, and a plate secured thereto and contributing to form a coin receiving slot open at its inner end, its top and its bottom, said plate having deflected portions overhanging said top opening to prevent coins escaping therethrough and having a laterally extending stop member, a detent for said coin retainer, a coin chute closed by said stop member when the coin retainer is out of register therewith, resilient means to move said coin retainer when released by said detent out of register with said coin chute, and means to move said coin retainer into register with said coin chute in combination with locking mechanism controlled by said coin retainer.

7 In a coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines, a coin chute, a spring 3. In coin mechanism for coin controlled-- as member to permit said stop member spring pressed coin retainer movable into and out of register with said coin chute, locking mechanism controlled by said coin retainer, a detent for said coin retainer, a lever operatively connected with said coin retainer to release said detent but inoperative to reset said coin retainer, means cooperating with a coin in said coin retainer to release said detent, and means to reset said coin retainer after it has been released.

8. In a coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines, a coin chute, a spring pressed. coin retainer movable into and out of register with said coin chute, locking mechanism controlled by said coin retainer, a detent for said coin retainer, a link connected with said coin retainer, a lever having a pin and slot connection with said coin retainer to release said detent but inoperative to reset saidcoin retainer, means cooperating with a coin in said coin retainer to release said detent, and means to reset said coin retainer after it has been released.

9. In a coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines, a coin chute, a coin stop in the form of a member movable into said coin chute, a cam lever to move said stop into said coin chute, a spring to move said stop out of said coin chute, and an article container which when in vending position holds said cam lever in a position to permit said spring to move its stop out of said coin chute.

10. In a coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines, a coin chute, a coin stop movable into said chute, a spring to move said stop outwardly, a cam lever to move said stop inwardly, a coin retainer moved by said cam lever into register with said coin chute, locking mechanism controlled by said coin retainer, a detent for said coin retainer, said coin retainer when released carrying with it said cam lever, means to release said detent, and an article container effective to actuate said cam lever. V

11. In a coin mechanism for coin controlled vending machines, a coin retainer, locking mechanism controlled by said coin retainer, means to direct a coin thereinto, a detent for said coin retainer, stops for said coin retainer to retain a coin therein, a manually actuated rock shaft, a cam actuated by said rock shaft and having a curved cam face to release said detent and thereby said coin retainer, a spring serving as the sole means to move said'coin retainer into its unset position', and mechanism controlled by said coin. retainer.

ALBERT GRAMER. 

